Taking Sides: "Velvet Goldmine" versus "Almost Famous"

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Also, is it me, or was Velvet Goldmine longer than fuckin' Ghandi?

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 21 April 2005 13:34 (nineteen years ago) link

blount is so otm in his first two posts. the only thing that almost famous gets across (and i really don't think it was on purpose) is how boring the whole business of touring is.

lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 21 April 2005 13:35 (nineteen years ago) link

Alex, I have this with every Haynes film. :-(

nathalie doing a soft foot shuffle (stevie nixed), Thursday, 21 April 2005 13:47 (nineteen years ago) link

It was you, Alex.

Ewan Mac is the only recent trou-dropping actor who had something worth showing.

Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 21 April 2005 13:51 (nineteen years ago) link

Huey Lewis just experienced shrinkage w/ your cavalier dismissal of his unit, Morb!

David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 21 April 2005 13:57 (nineteen years ago) link

I pick VG, although I don't think the Bowie-esque character is charismatic enough. Morbius and others OTM about opening sequence. I love the bit where Christian Bale buys a new record and brings it home to play it.

Among the many annoying things in AF- "I am a golden god!"

Ken L (Ken L), Thursday, 21 April 2005 13:59 (nineteen years ago) link

Yes, that whole slipping the LP on the turntable scene may be the most erotic one in the film. I also liked Bale's "MOM! DAD! That's MEE!" yelp.

Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 21 April 2005 14:05 (nineteen years ago) link

Oh God, I had momentarily forgotten the whole buying-the-record-and-playing-it sequence.

roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Thursday, 21 April 2005 14:09 (nineteen years ago) link

I did like the replication of that album cover as the soundtrack tray inlay art.

I am still annoyed a full version of the fake 80s corp rock song by Shudder to Think, "People Rocking People," has not surfaced. (You can hear it playing at a couple of points in the 1984 sequences, as in the start of the bar scene.)

Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 21 April 2005 14:21 (nineteen years ago) link

Velvet Goldmine = FAN FICTION MADE FLESH!!! or, well, at least celluloid.

I love the short scene in VG where the girls are playing with their Brian and Kurt dolls.

Toni Collette's accent work, weaving between affected English to New Yawkish is yet another piece of evidence in my case for the absolute dominance of Australians when it comes to English language accents.

M. White (Miguelito), Thursday, 21 April 2005 14:23 (nineteen years ago) link

I love the short scene in VG where the girls are playing with their Brian and Kurt dolls.

It's nice as both Haynes' tribute to himself and as an element in the film in general -- it works regardless of whether you know Superstar or not.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 21 April 2005 14:25 (nineteen years ago) link

I found the plot to be less than blatantly obvious, I.E. I couldn't tell it was there.

OTM -- I couldn't really tell you what VG was "about." Then again, I can't even remotely recall what The Big Sleep is about, either, and I've seen it about 15 times. It totally doesn't matter.

happy fun ball (kenan), Thursday, 21 April 2005 14:47 (nineteen years ago) link

i thought that _A Mighty Wind_ was a pretty good movie about fake bands...

kingfish, Thursday, 21 April 2005 15:15 (nineteen years ago) link

i thought that _A Mighty Wind_ was a pretty good movie about fake bands...

...but, like it's sibling This is Spinal Tap...it's a parody.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 21 April 2005 17:08 (nineteen years ago) link

and awful

milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Thursday, 21 April 2005 23:17 (nineteen years ago) link

what, do you prefer your movies about fake bands to star Liv Tyler?

kingfish, Thursday, 21 April 2005 23:23 (nineteen years ago) link

Velvet Goldmine is one of the great movies of all time, never mind great movies about Rock and/or Roll. Assuming nobody can film Great Jones Street. Narrative died durink Help, or 1850, depending which arc you're stitched to.

Failin Huxley (noodle vague), Friday, 22 April 2005 00:33 (nineteen years ago) link

what, do you prefer your movies about fake bands to star Liv Tyler?

Uh, hell yeah.

milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Friday, 22 April 2005 00:35 (nineteen years ago) link

OTM -- I couldn't really tell you what VG was "about." Then again, I can't even remotely recall what The Big Sleep is about, either, and I've seen it about 15 times. It totally doesn't matter

OTM. The plot isn't what the movie is about. The movie is about glitter, debauchery and flash.

roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Friday, 22 April 2005 00:37 (nineteen years ago) link

Also, one of these movies is about the Black Fucking Crowes.

Failin Huxley (noodle vague), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:04 (nineteen years ago) link

Black Fucking Crowes >>>>> David Bowie

milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:05 (nineteen years ago) link

Assuming you've had a lobotomy and a permanent intravenous acid drip, yeah.

Failin Huxley (noodle vague), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:07 (nineteen years ago) link

I've had piles that were more classic than the Black Crowes.

Failin Huxley (noodle vague), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:08 (nineteen years ago) link

better than Bowie is damning with the faintest of praise.

milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:10 (nineteen years ago) link

U think the Robinson bros R good.

Failin Huxley (noodle vague), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:12 (nineteen years ago) link

Don't drag Robinsons into this.

roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:19 (nineteen years ago) link

Can I drag them through the mud?

Then again there's Kozelek.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:21 (nineteen years ago) link

(I am one!)

roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:22 (nineteen years ago) link

It's not like I dislike the Crowes, but milo clearly has a crackpipe glued to his lips.

Failin Huxley (noodle vague), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:23 (nineteen years ago) link

Black Fucking Crowes >>>>> David Bowie

We have now officially punctured the flimsy battlements of rational thought and are now skipping willy-nilly through the wilderness of insanity.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:26 (nineteen years ago) link

Alex jumps up and down and does a Riverdance on the fucking money.

Failin Huxley (noodle vague), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:29 (nineteen years ago) link

I see Allyzay has a problem with slashfic. Or boys kissing boys. ;)

(Nothing wrong with that. It's just... well... English Kate should be able to explain more the whole connection between slashfic and that peculiar sort of fanhood that, well, uh, never mind.)

Also, no one ever talks about Toni Collette's fantastic Liza-in-Cabaret-as-Angie-Bowie tour de force.

DUDE! I keep on forgetting to give Toni Collette as not-Angie the props it deserves! She's one of the major reasons why I like that film as much as I do. She's, like, totally on fire. Burning the celluloid down.

I also liked Bale's "MOM! DAD! That's MEE!" yelp.

Awwwww, one of the scenes that makes you like Arthur more and more as the movie progresses.

I am still annoyed a full version of the fake 80s corp rock song by Shudder to Think, "People Rocking People," has not surfaced. (You can hear it playing at a couple of points in the 1984 sequences, as in the start of the bar scene.)

Heh. Why am I not surprised that you would easily be able to name that song, Ned? Anyway, I had no idea that was the (a.) artist behind the song and (b.) the name of the song itself. Wow. That was a good approximation of soulless '80s AOR, wasn't it? Very convincing.

The Spirit of Sam Endicott (Dee the Lurker), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:30 (nineteen years ago) link

(I am one!)

But you are good and not evil, so the other Robinsons referred to must be the evil ones.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:31 (nineteen years ago) link

Also:

David Bowie >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the Black Crowes

(i.e. I agree with Ferlin Huxley et. al.)

The Spirit of Sam Endicott (Dee the Lurker), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:31 (nineteen years ago) link

David Bowie is awful. He and Morrissey are tied as the biggest/most-respected musicians where I just can't comprehend the love.

One and a half listenable songs ('Queen Bitch' and the duet w/ Mick Jagger) - but he was cool in Labyrinth.

milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:44 (nineteen years ago) link

Crackpipe.

Failin Huxley (noodle vague), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:45 (nineteen years ago) link

keep suckin' on that glass cock

kingfish maximum overdrunk (Kingfish), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:45 (nineteen years ago) link

they are both terrible. VG is better although AF has better tottie (crudup, kozelek and that guy from the kevin smith films).

jed_ (jed), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:50 (nineteen years ago) link

Yeah, I know I'm pretty much alone on the David Bowie Suxxx bandwagon.

milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:51 (nineteen years ago) link

nah, he kinda creeps me out too.

jed_ (jed), Friday, 22 April 2005 01:56 (nineteen years ago) link

You're Good Thread (Has Gone And Went Bad)

Ken L (Ken L), Friday, 22 April 2005 02:15 (nineteen years ago) link

David Bowie is awful. He and Morrissey are tied as the biggest/most-respected musicians where I just can't comprehend the love.

Yet you're completely fine with the Black Crowes? FETCH HITHER A STRAIGHT-JACKET!

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 22 April 2005 02:17 (nineteen years ago) link

Alex, why are you calling Milo "Hither"?

David R. (popshots75`), Friday, 22 April 2005 03:23 (nineteen years ago) link

Whathisface that plays Lester Bangs is great, the guys in the band are all funny, Zooey Deschanel - what's not to like?

KATE DUDSON. For starters.

Vic in Alderaan (Vic), Friday, 22 April 2005 04:11 (nineteen years ago) link

Whathisface that plays Lester Bangs is great,

Philip Seymour Hoffman, and if you ask me, he overplayed his hand in that role.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 22 April 2005 04:19 (nineteen years ago) link

He did, but his speech about not being cool is my favorite thing in the movie.

happy fun ball (kenan), Friday, 22 April 2005 04:52 (nineteen years ago) link

Also, VG has the physics phunny of "Maxwell Demon" which still makes me giggle every time.

Lapdog Shoesnog (kate), Friday, 22 April 2005 09:54 (nineteen years ago) link

"you are home"

roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Friday, 22 April 2005 10:40 (nineteen years ago) link

I didn't think Kate Hudson was bad at all. Not great, but she certainly fit the role of ditzy narcissistic groupie well. Sarah Polley would have been too old and mature - these girls were really 14 or 15 at the time, weren't they?

milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Friday, 22 April 2005 17:04 (nineteen years ago) link

i'm starting to feel pretty alone in my "almost famous" love (not that i've seen it in like three years), even ppl who say they like it seem to have this "i know it's kinda terrible, but..." attitude about it!

glam is classic. david bowie is classic. iggy pop is classic. "citizen kane" is classic. despite all these things, "velvet goldmine" is a dud.

J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Friday, 22 April 2005 21:31 (nineteen years ago) link


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